College Program Questions Thread, Pt 3

[meganDCP2010]

I applied for spring but failed the web interview so now I'm going to apply for fall 2011. However, I have to wait until February 17th to apply because of the 6 months thing. How far into the recruiting for fall is this? Will I be at a really big disadvantage because I can't apply right away?

I don't think you will. I applied back in April and got in. Then again, I got custodial...

 

[meganDCP2010]

Hello, everybody! I've been looking into the DCP, and I'm very interested in it, but I do have some reservations when it comes to finances. I attend college and I've had to take out a couple loans. I definitely want to do this program, and even though I know I'll enjoy it I really can't unless I can bring back some money from it to pay off loans. I've heard that once rent/housing is taken out of your check, in addition to expenses like food and gas, you're really not left with a lot of money.

So, my questions are:

1) Aside from the rent/housing, textbook fees, and application fees, what other expenses did you come across? I especially would like to know about weekly expenses, like how much you ended up spending on food every week? Does DCP provide you with food, or discounts on food?

2) How much driving did you end up doing? Does the Disney-provided transport get you where you need to go efficiently and conveniently or did you end up using your car a lot? How much did you end up spending on gas?

3) And if it's not too intrusive, I was wondering if CP veterans could tell me what your weekly paycheck ended up being, how many hours you got, etc? Were you able to take any money home? Is it realistic to try and bring at least $2,000 back with you, or are living expenses just too high?

Thank you very much for any input!!

1. No meal plans or discounts on food. I bring food to work everyday. My roommates and I buy food together and split the cost. So far, the food we bought would last a couple of weeks.

2. $20 - $22 on gas, which would last me a couple of weeks. During the first week or so, I took the bus a lot. Now, it's more like 50/50. I drive to Wal-Mart or the mall, but sometimes I catch the bus to work because I don't feel like driving.

3. I can't really answer that because I'm still doing the program.

 

[Sorahana]

3) And if it's not too intrusive, I was wondering if CP veterans could tell me what your weekly paycheck ended up being, how many hours you got, etc? Were you able to take any money home? Is it realistic to try and bring at least $2,000 back with you, or are living expenses just too high?

I'll answer this (I haven't been in this thread in a while, whoa!). My first CP I got around 45-50 hours, my 2nd CP I got around 35-40 hours (that was a summer alumni CP).
I really didn't take any money home because I spent it on buying things in Disney (especially when they had the holiday discount for CMs). If you don't have to shop just because, then you can bring home some money. It might be possible to bring that much money home, it really depends on your situation.
If you want to be able to save yourself some money, then when you're picking your apartment type when you check in, go for a bigger apartment (three or four bedroom), the rent will be lower. Hope that helps!!

 

[psherman42]

I don't think you will. I applied back in April and got in. Then again, I got custodial...

Was that one of the roles you checked off?

 

[SportsChick]

I applied in March and I'm Main Entrance Operations.

I'm in a 1BR at Patterson so my rent is the highest, I'm still bring home around $160 a week after rent - I've been working anywhere from 36-46 hours

 

[khancock]

I have to wait until February 17th to apply because of the 6 months thing. How far into the recruiting for fall is this? Will I be at a really big disadvantage because I can't apply right away?

They recruit from February through April.

 

[thatcrazydisneygirl]

I'm wondering how many business "disney look" outfits I need. It is my understanding that I need at least one outfit for Traditions. But I need a few as well for training, correct?

About how many outfits would I need total that meet the disney look?

 

[SportsChick]

that will depend on your role. I only needed two. one for traditions and one for Discovery Day. I was in costume after that. My roommate's boyfriend is hospitality (he's front desk at Yacht and Beach Club) and he was at Disney U for almost a week

 

[mooqtie215]

Ah I wrote a reply and it got erased, poop.

Basically my advice is bring business attire you can mix and match, or a dress because that is the easiest thing to wear and requires no matching at all. Accessories, even though we're not supposed to wear a lot of them, like a scarf or necklace can take an outfit you already wore and make it look new.

You might only need 2 days of business attire as I did, one for traditions and one for Merchantainment, but they have many things throughout your program that you might want to have dress clothes for, like Leadership Seminars, networking, and all these other goodies. Plus if you take a class, you have to dress up for that, too. Yeah, no sweatpants like at real college!

 

[Pure_Imagination]

To answer some questions I saw earlier-

I did a lot of driving, just because I like to drive. But gas prices were higher there than other cities so I tried to watch how much I was spending. You can save a lot of money just by taking the bus when you're going to the parks for fun instead of driving.

The most I spend on groceries was probably $75 or so, and that was around the first week when I was buying everything I needed. Keep in mind expenses for all the little things- like medicine, cleaning supplies, etc. Other times it was anywhere between $15-35. I had the least amount of groceries out of anyone in my apartment, though, lol.

I actually came home in debt. Yup. I was poor as hell, and I stayed that way ever since because I still haven't been able to find another job. Keep in mind that you'll have to travel back home too which can be costly. I didn't buy hardly anything in the parks- including food- but I still didn't really make much. It didn't make up for the traveling costs

 

[Pure_Imagination]

To answer some questions I saw earlier-

I did a lot of driving, just because I like to drive. But gas prices were higher there than other cities so I tried to watch how much I was spending. You can save a lot of money just by taking the bus when you're going to the parks for fun instead of driving.

The most I spend on groceries was probably $75 or so, and that was around the first week when I was buying everything I needed. Keep in mind expenses for all the little things- like medicine, cleaning supplies, etc. Other times it was anywhere between $15-35. I had the least amount of groceries out of anyone in my apartment, though, lol.

I actually came home in debt. Yup. I was poor as hell, and I stayed that way ever since because I still haven't been able to find another job. Keep in mind that you'll have to travel back home too which can be costly. I didn't buy hardly anything in the parks- including food- but I still didn't really make much. It didn't make up for the traveling costs

 

[SoccerRob12]

A friend of mine got accepted for Atttractions Spring 2011 and his guidance counsellor at college told him that they wouldn't approve him to go. Not sure what "approval" he requires from the school. I guess they don't recognize the CP as a valid use of a semester.

He is looking for another college to transfer to so that he can still do the CP.

Any ideas?

 

[SportsChick]

I don't know about a school not approving him to go, it may be the semester off? Disney doesn't require any approval. What if he just wanted to take a semester off, what would the school do?

 

[newdrama12]

My school didn't approve it either, but that was just I didn't meet the school's requirement for it to count as an internship credit. But I went ahead and took the semester off and did the program anyway. Then the semester after my program, I was a campus rep.

 

[Heartless Pirate]

Yeah, I didn't even tell my school at the time because I was planning on transferring out of there anyway.

 

[greenmyvalley]

I have yet to find out how my school deals with the program. I know of a couple people that did the CP last year, so hopefully they're receptive to it!

 

[SweetMelissa]

Soooo, I was accepted on Monday for QSFB and I am VERY excited; however, I was placed in a role that I did not select, it wasnt just not in my top 3, it was not selected period. I have been in the food service industry for 10 years and I was hoping for something different. I dont want to sound ungrateful; Im just worried that I will not like it. I know it will be what I make of it..Im just a lil sad that I didnt get something different! Can any CP alum who did QSFB please tell me you enjoyed it so Ill feel better??

Thanks

 

[carly3592]

I just went to a CP meeting at my college- they're really enthusiastic for people to sign up and go, but they recommend we take the Marketing You class because that's the only way we can remain a student at the college for that semester. That way, we could still sign up for classes and register for housing on time.

 

[TinkerMouse]

Soooo, I was accepted on Monday for QSFB and I am VERY excited; however, I was placed in a role that I did not select, it wasnt just not in my top 3, it was not selected period. I have been in the food service industry for 10 years and I was hoping for something different. I dont want to sound ungrateful; Im just worried that I will not like it. I know it will be what I make of it..Im just a lil sad that I didnt get something different! Can any CP alum who did QSFB please tell me you enjoyed it so Ill feel better??

Thanks

This blog is by someone who is in the program right now and works in QSFB. She likes it so far. A few posts have been about the training for it.

http://viviannewdwcpf10.blogspot.com/

You're not being ungrateful. I know exactly how you feel. I was also accepted on Monday but am a bit shocked by what they're offering me because I expected to get what I was more qualified for instead of the job that I have no experience in whatsoever. I haven't accepted the invite yet but regardless of whether or not I inquire about it to recruitment I'm still going to do the program and be excited to go.

 

[Zoemickey]

Hi I got a pending letter on September 7th and I was wondering if anybody has been accepted or rejected yet who received this letter for the Spring 2011 program/advantage?

I LOVE DISNEY!!! and can't wait to see if i get accepted!!!